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Call for Proposals (Next Submission Deadline: Friday, Oct. 9, 2026, 5:00pm PDT)

The Program for Breakthrough Biomedical Research (PBBR) supports bold, high-risk ideas that fall outside the scope of traditional funding mechanisms. PBBR is not intended as an alternative funding source for projects developed for NIH submission.

NEW POLICY: Due to the high volume of New Frontier Research (NFR) applications, only one NFR application may name a given individual as a PI (contact PI or co-PI) during a given application cycle. Refer to the "Eligibility requirements for NFR awards" section below for additional details.

PBBR invites proposals for funding in two award categories:

  • NFR - New Frontier Research
  • TMC - Technologies, Methodologies, and Cores

PBBR seeks to stimulate and support highly innovative basic science research at UCSF that is potentially high impact, creative, risky, and transformative.

New Frontier Research (NFR) (see below for additional details):

  • $25,000 - $150,000 for one year per award
  • Supports basic science research projects at levels of risk and innovation that substantially exceed those supported by NIH
  • Multiple awards granted annually
  • Both single-PI and multiple-PI applications are welcome

Technologies, Methodologies, and Cores (TMC) (see below for additional details):

  • $50,000 - $500,000 for one year in matching funds per award
  • Strong emphasis on invention of new technologies, development of new methodologies, establishment of technology cores, and/or acquisition of shared instruments
  • Multiple awards granted annually
  • Both single-PI and multiple-PI applications are welcome

Next proposal deadline for both funding mechanisms (NFR, TMC): Friday, October 9, 2026, 5:00 pm PDT

We encourage investigators from all career stages to apply. We also invite multiple-PI projects that combine distinct research approaches to focus on a single problem and include PIs from different UCSF campuses.

Eligibility: See individual award descriptions, below.

If you have questions: Send inquiries to Matt Arnegard, PBBR Program Manager ([email protected]).

New Frontier Research (NFR) Proposals

PBBR awards multiple NFR grants each year. The number of NFR awards depends on the boldness and innovation of the applications submitted and the amount of funds available in a given year. Award amounts range from $25,000 to $150,000 for one year. Awards will be made to both single-PI and multiple-PI projects, especially projects that combine distinct research approaches to focus on a single problem and involve collaborative work across different UCSF campuses (e.g., Parnassus and Mission Bay, Mission Bay and Mt. Zion, etc.).

New Frontier Research awards are intended to support UCSF faculty for the development of the best science and ideas. Proposals from all career stages are invited. Very high risk, transformative research that is many years from NIH support is encouraged. Novel projects or programs that require seed support may also be supported under the NFR mechanism. Applicants should explicitly address the issues of innovation, risk, and impact in their proposal.

All funds must be used for the conduct of research. Faculty and administrative salaries, student tuition/fees, travel, and food/entertainment are specifically excluded. Salaries for graduate students, postdocs, and professional technical staff are allowed. Funding is expected to begin in mid- to late-November 2026.

Eligibility requirements for NFR awards (please read carefully):

  • Only UCSF faculty with an Academic Senate Appointment are eligible to apply (no adjunct appointments). Click here to access the UCSF Faculty Handbook for an explanation of Academic Senate appointments. For proposals with more than one investigator, at least one investigator must meet this eligibility requirement.
  • NFR applicants must be faculty members of the BMS, PIBS, and/or QBC Graduate Programs. For proposals with more than one investigator, only one investigator must meet this eligibility requirement.
  • HHMI faculty are not eligible for NFR awards. Gladstone and Gallo faculty are eligible but must meet all other eligibility requirements, and funds must be managed using a UCSF Chart of Accounts (COA) string.
  • An individual may be named as a PI (contact PI or co-PI) on only one NFR application per application cycle. The first application received will determine the application on which that individual may serve as a PI. Contact PIs of subsequently received applications naming the same individual will be given an opportunity to revise the PI team and application as appropriate.

NFR proposal deadline: Friday, October 9, 2026, 5:00 pm PDT

NFR proposal instructions: Proposals should consist of the following items in the order listed:

  1. Cover Page: Cover page with name of award program, deadline, title of proposal, amount of funding requested, Principal Investigator name(s), academic title(s), number of years at UCSF, department(s), phone number(s), UCSF box number(s), and email address(es). Identify the UCSF department that will manage the award, the accounting manager/contact name, UCSF box number, email address, and phone number. Scroll to the bottom to see a sample NFR cover page.
  2. Biosketch(es): An NIH biosketch, including personal statement, for each PI.
  3. Current & Pending Support: All current and pending intramural and extramural research support information for each PI, following the NIH format.
  4. Project Description: Description (2 pages or less) of proposed research, innovative features, and potential impact. Figures must be included within these 2 pages; references do not need to be included in the 2-page limit.
  5. Budget and Budget Justification: Detailed budget and budget justification, explaining how the funds will be used (any format).

NFR proposal submission: As a single PDF, please email the documents outlined above to Matt Arnegard ([email protected]) no later than Friday, October 9, 2026, 5:00 pm PDT.

Technologies, Methodologies, and Cores (TMC) Proposals

PBBR offers matching funds to support the invention or refinement of new technologies and methodologies, establishment of technology cores, and acquisition of shared instruments that will serve a broad community. For core facility and shared instrumentation proposals, a plan must be presented whereby the facility would be financially and operationally maintained beyond the period of PBBR funding.

The number of Technologies, Methodologies, and Cores grants awarded depends on the quality of the applications submitted, the needs of the UCSF basic science community, and the amount of funds available in any given year. Award amounts can range from $50,000 to $500,000 in matching funds for one year. Awards will be made to both single-PI and multiple-PI projects, especially projects that combine distinct research approaches to focus on a single problem and involve work at different UCSF campuses (e.g., Parnassus and Mission Bay, Mission Bay and Mt. Zion, etc.).

All funds must be used for the conduct of research. Faculty and administrative salaries, student tuition/fees, travel, and food/entertainment are specifically excluded. Salaries for graduate students, postdocs, and professional technical staff are allowed. Funding is anticipated to begin in February or March 2027. Please note, as outlined below, that there are 2 phases of review for TMC proposals.

Eligibility requirements for TMC awards (please read carefully):

  • Only UCSF faculty with an Academic Senate Appointment are eligible to apply (no adjunct appointments). Click here to access the UCSF Faculty Handbook for an explanation of Academic Senate appointments. For proposals with more than one investigator, at least one investigator must meet this eligibility requirement.
  • TMC applicants must be faculty members of the BMS, PIBS, and/or QBC Graduate Programs. For proposals with more than one investigator, only one investigator must meet this eligibility requirement.
  • HHMI faculty are eligible for TMC awards. Gladstone and Gallo faculty are eligible but must meet all other eligibility requirements, and funds must be managed using a UCSF Chart of Accounts (COA) string. The UCSF community must have easy, open access to the technology, methodology, or core developed by a TMC project.

TMC pre-proposal deadline: Friday, October 9, 2026, 5:00 pm PDT

TMC pre-proposal instructions: The first stage of the TMC application process is the submission of a TMC pre-proposal (described here). Based on review of TMC pre-proposals, selected applicants may be invited to submit full TMC proposals and will receive additional instructions at that time. TMC pre-proposals should consist of the following items in the order listed:

  1. Cover Page: Cover page with name of award program, deadline, title of proposal, amount of funding requested, Principal Investigator name(s), academic title(s), number of years at UCSF, department(s), phone number(s), UCSF box number(s), and email address(es). Identify the UCSF department that will manage the award, the accounting manager/contact name, UCSF box number, email address, and phone number. Scroll to the bottom to see a sample cover page.
  2. Biosketch(es): An NIH biosketch, including personal statement, for each PI.
  3. Current & Pending Support: All current and pending intramural and extramural research support information for each PI, following the NIH format.
  4. Project Description: Description (2 pages or less) of the technology, methodology, or core; its significance; innovative features; potential impact; and availability elsewhere. Figures must be included within these 2 pages; references do not need to be included in the 2-page limit.
  5. Potential Space Information: For a shared instrument or core facility, list UCSF PIs (with their department affiliations) who will use the instrument or facility; identify potential space for the facility (commitment of space is required if the pre-proposal advances).
  6. Budget and Budget Justification: Detailed budget and budget justification, explaining how the funds will be used (any format).
  7. Matching Funds Information: Source and amount of matching funds sought or in place. These can be departmental funds, another grant, a contract, industry funds, etc.

TMC pre-proposal submission: As a single PDF, please email the documents outlined above to Matt Arnegard ([email protected]) no later than Friday, October 9, 2026, 5:00 pm PDT.

Cover Page Format

Sample NFR Proposal Cover Page:

Image showing an example of what an NFR proposal cover page should look like

Sample TMC Proposal Cover Page:

Image showing an example of what a TMC proposal cover page should look like